Lackeys to receive Lenawee Arts Award

Sunday

May 12, 2013 at 3:00 PM

By Arlene BachanovDaily Telegram Special Writer

When Michael and Betsy Lackey were contacted recently about meeting with Jere Righter, the Croswell Opera House’s artistic director, and community philanthropist Shelley Hickman, the couple thought that the Croswell was planning some sort of special event and wanted the Lackeys to participate.

But when they got to the meeting, the Lackeys were stunned to learn they had been selected as the recipients of the 2013 Lenawee Arts Award.

The award, which will be presented the evening of June 14 as part of the Croswell’s “Great Big Night” fundraiser, honors members of the community who go above and beyond the call of duty to support the visual and performing arts. It is sponsored by the employees of Brazeway. Recipients are given a statuette designed by local artist Ken Thompson.

Schmidt, who was instrumental in starting the award and who spearheads the committee that selects the honorees, lauded the Lackeys’ work with the arts in Lenawee County.

“Betsy and Michael are exceptional artists, arts patrons, and of course they have mentored many, many others who are working professionally today,” she said. “They represent all that we want to celebrate with the Lenawee Arts Award, and I’m so pleased that they have been selected this year. We are looking forward to recognizing them at our Great Big Night event in June.”

“We were shocked and honored” to be this year’s recipients, said Michael, who credits his wife with many of the achievements that earned the couple the award. “She’s the Pied Piper,” he said.

Michael grew up in Hillsdale, earned a theater arts degree from Siena Heights University, and went on to an extensive career in professional theater in addition to acting and singing locally. His lengthy resume includes appearing in more than 3,500 performances of “Phantom of the Opera,” including playing the title role more than 200 times, with companies in New York, San Francisco and Las Vegas.

Betsy is a graduate of Adrian High School and Michigan State University and did graduate work at Siena Heights University. She has performed in or directed many Croswell musicals and directed regionally award-winning productions at the Westgate Dinner Theater. Additionally, she has been involved in virtually every other aspect of theater, from stage managing to costume design to producing.

Over the last several years, she has also composed numerous Family Discovery Concert musical works for the Adrian Symphony Orchestra.

The couple said they consider the Lenawee Arts Award to not only be a great personal honor, but also a recognition by the local community that the arts in general are important.

“Every community has a business award. Every community has a community service award. But I don’t know of very many communities who give out an award for artistic achievement,” Betsy said, adding that she thinks it is “a real testament to this community” that it chooses to pay tribute to the arts and to celebrate what an individual achieves artistically over a period of time.

“And in this community, by golly it’s a big deal,” Michael added. “It’s a real honor.”

With a large part of the reason the couple was given the award having to do with their work with budding young performers — a number of whom have gone onto professional careers — Michael said that one incident especially sums up what the award symbolizes for him and Betsy.

“I can’t remember my last standing ovation on Broadway,” he said, “but I will never forget Shonn Wiley” — a Croswell “alumnus” who is now a professional performer — “seeing me in San Francisco and saying, ‘Thank you for giving me the tools to do what I do.’ ”

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